Me, Myself, and I

There once was a tortoise walking through the desert. It had been a dry year, and the drought was taking its toll on the animals. The tortoise had searched in vain for food. Just then a buzzard flew by.

“How are you?” asked the buzzard.

“Good, just a little hungry,” admitted the tortoise. “This drought has been much harder than I ever thought it would be.”

“I see,” said the buzzard, “but this drought hasn’t affected me at all. I am able to eat to my heart’s content because the little animals are dying right and left.”

“How can you say that? How can you do that?” questioned the tortoise. “Doesn’t it break your heart to watch the little animals starve to death?”

“Who cares? It’s not my problem,” said the buzzard as he flew away.

A few days later the tortoise was walking along when he saw a buzzard caught in a tree branch. Its feathers were so caught that it seemed impossible to free the poor animal. The tortoise knew he must help. Just then, he noticed it was the same buzzard from the day before.

“Why, buzzard, we meet again. This time it looks like it is you that needs help,” said the tortoise.

“Leave me alone! I don’t need anyone’s help. I’m smarter than the rest of you dumb animals. I will get it figured out!” yelled the buzzard.

The tortoise slowly walked away shaking his head at what he had just heard.